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News 56More than two dozen additional inspectors join the UN team in Iraq on Sunday. Those already there visited a geological survey company in Baghdad and a pesticide plant outside the capital. (VOA December, 2002) News 57 US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Lee Armitage just arrived in Tokyo on his first stop of a four–nation tour in order to gather support for a possible US–led war on Iraq. Reports say Japan wants to do more than just provide monetary support but is bound by its constitution not to use military force. Last week Japan did send a high–tech warship to the Indian Ocean to offer logistical support. After meeting with Japanese officials, Mr. A. will head to South Korea, China, and Australia. (VOA December, 2002) News 58 Forecasts for rain are bringing hope to Australia’s New South Wales State, where firefighters are battling more than 60 brush fires. Since the fires broke out last Wednesday, they’ve scorched 100 thousand hectares of land. From Sidney F.M. has more. Authorities say after 5 days of emergency conditions the outlook is beginning to improve. Cooler temperatures and moderate winds have given the firefighters an opportunity to gain the upper hand over many of the fires. Further relief is in sight, with rain forecast for Tuesday. Blazes still burn out of control to the north of Sidney and in the Blue Mountains to the west. It’s thought many were started by arsonists or by careless smokers. No homes have been destroyed in the past 48 hours and many roads that have been closed by the fires have reopened. One emergency worker said once the fire gets going, it sounds like a wild animal coming toward you. Australia’s environmental protection authority says air pollution from the bush fires is very high. Health officials have urged anyone with breathing disorders to stay indoors. Two people have died in the fires, which have devastated thousands of hectares of land since beginning on Wednesday. (VOA December, 2002) News 59 European Union leaders meeting in Copenhagen have decided Turkey will have to wait at least two more years before it’s invited to start membership talks. The Danish EU Presidency said the decision will be taken in late 2004 as to whether Turkey has met the criteria for joining the EU. The decision dashes Turkish hopes of earlier negotiations. From Copenhagen C.M. reports. EU leaders meeting over have decided that they will not invite Turkey to begin talks on joining the Union until December 2004 at the earliest. For the Turks that will be a big disappointment. The government in Ankara have been pressing for an earlier and more definite date. It means the Turks will not be able to start negotiations on membership until after 10 other candidate countries have joined the Union. That could make Turkey accession process even more complicated. None of this will make it any easier to reach a separate deal to reunify Cyprus, either. EU leaders have also agreed on a financial package they will offer to the 10 countries who are on the verge of completing their negotiations. Some of the candidates led by Poland are still holding out for extra cash. (BBC December, 2002) News 60 North Korea has accused the US of unpardonable piracy after a North Korean ship carrying Scud missiles was stopped and searched on its way to Yemen. A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said Washington had wantonly encroached on North Korea’s sovereignty. The unflagged ship was seized in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday by Spanish warship acting on an American tip–off. From Seoul C.G. reports. Remaining silent on calls to rethink its threat to reactivate its frozen nuclear programme, North Korea has gone on the offensive. It’s accused the United States of unpardonable piracy by seizing its vessel in the Arabian Sea this week. The ship was intercepted by US and Spanish forces and found to contain hidden Scud missiles. It was later released and allowed to sail on to its destination in Yemen. The North (Korea’s) belligerent statement came a day after it warned it would immediately reactivate its nuclear power plant in Yongbyon in order to get desperately needed power. The regime said it had no choice as the US had stopped fuel shipments to the country. (BBC December, 2002) News 61 The American Secretary of State Colin Powell has announced an initiative to spread democracy, education, and free market across the Middle East. Mr. Powell pledged 29 million dollars towards the project saying it was a way of broadening Washington’s approach to the region. Painting a picture of economic stagnation and unresponsive political systems in the Middle East, Mr. Powell criticised the marginalization of women and the lack of educational opportunities for millions. (BBC December, 2002) News 62 Scientists in Germany have announced promising results from tests of a new treatment for sufferers from malaria. Writing in the British medical journal “The Lancet”, the scientists say that when they administered a new antibiotic to malaria patients in the West African state of Gabon, the parasites were rapidly destroyed and fever was reduced. (BBC December, 2002) News 63 Next: an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government. A general strike has paralysed Venezuela’s oil industry, the world’s fifth largest, and led to violence and shortages of food, drinking water, and cash. The strike is being marked by daily street protests for and against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The strikers are protesting President Chavez’s policies, which, opponents charge, have made millions of Venezuelans poor and driven the country towards communism. The opposition launched the strike to demand a non-binding referendum on President Chavez’s rule, but now wants general elections soon. President Chavez has argued that Venezuelan Constitution prohibits earlier elections. A shooting at one opposition rally left 3 people dead and 28 wounded. In the words of R.N., US prominent representative to the Organisation of American States, the violence perpetrated by armed civilians once again claimed the lives of peaceful demonstrators. The US called upon Venezuelan police and judicial institutions to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation and vigoros prosecution of all those responsible. In Caracas S.G. the Secretary General of the OAS, is mediating negotiations between the government and the opposition. The talks are aimed at ending the strike and allowing earlier elections. But Mr. G. has said that serious differences remain and more violence could erupt. The US calls on all sides to reject violence and responsibly respect constitutional processes and work toward a peaceful, democratic, and electorial solution to the crisis. In the words of President George W. Bush, it is very important for President Chavez to do what he said he was going to do: to address the reasons why there’s so much turmoil on the streets, and it is very important for him to embrace those institutions which are fundamental to democracy including freedom of press and freedoms for the opposition to speak out. Now more than ever it is essential that the Venezuelan government provide the security necessary for the people of Venezuela to exercise peacefully their fundamental freedoms. That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government. (VOA December, 2002) News 64 Once again topping the news: the US and Japan are working closely to diffuse that crisis with North Korea. All of this has to do with the country’s nuclear weapons program. US Secretary of State Colin Powell calls the situation difficult and dangerous but he says Washington will not sign a non–aggression treaty demanded by North Korea and will not hold talks until Pyongyang abandons its nuclear ambitions. Meantime the Secretary made his comments amid some escalating North Korean regress against the US. An official government newspaper in North Korea says the peninsula is on the verge of war. But as S.C. reports from Seoul, the paper also says conflict can be avoided. (VOA December, 2002) News 65 And now Iraq. The US Secretary of State says the Bush administration expects to have an assessment of Iraq’s Weapons Declaration later this week and it is signaling strongly that they find the document a bit lacking. VOA’s D.G. has more from the State Department. The US is not expected to release its own analysis of the massive Iraqi statement until after Chief UN Weapons inspector Hans Blix reports to the Security Council on Thursday. But at the news conference with the Japanese Foreign and Defense Ministers Mr. Powell indicated strongly that the emerging US assessments of the critical document is negative. Mr. Powell stressed the importance of UN inspectors’ exercising their right to interview Iraqi weapons scientists who would have first–hand knowledge of the disposition of banned weapons. “The Resolution 1441 provides for those who need to be interviewed to be made available, and if Iraq does not comply with that requirement of the Resolution, I’m sure the international community will take note and decide what action is appropriate. And I would not like to characterize what might happen in the future at this point.” (VOA December, 2002) News 66 Meantime Moscow is urging Iraq to reconsider its cancellation of a multimillion–dollar, actually a multibillion–dollar contract with Russia’s largest oil company Lukoil. Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it sent a toughly–worded message to the Iraqi leadership on Monday calling for urgent negotiations on the issue. Contract dispute has opened a rift between Iraq and Russia, which is traditionally one of Baghdad’s firmest allies. (VOA December, 2002) News 67 Work will begin later today to shut down part of Soviet–era nuclear power station in Bulgaria. Two reactors at the K.D. plant on the river Danube will be taken out of service by the end of the month. Two more reactors will be closed by 2006. The EU made their closure a condition of Bulgaria’s entry to the organisation due in 2007. L.S. reports. The first Soviet–designed reactors at K.D. on the river Danube 200 kilometres north of Sofia came on line in the late 1970’s. A series of accidents led to widespread international concerns over their safety. Those concerns focussed, in particular, on the growing brittleness of the reactor vessels and the lack of the containment building to cope with the major accident, should one occur. But Bulgarian nuclear engineers argue that repairs carried out with international help and supervision have resolved all safety issues. They also say that Bulgaria needs two reactors both for domestic energy supplies and for export. (BBC December, 2002) News 68 The US has vetoed the UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel for the recent West Bank killings of three UN relief workers. Twelve other Security Council members including Britain voted in favor of the resolution late Friday and two other member countries abstained. The US veto killed the measure. The Syrian–backed resolution voiced great concern over the November, 22d killings by the Israeli troops during a shoot–out with Palestinian gunmen in Jenin. (VOA January, 2003) News 69 US is moving to deploy defensive missiles that could intercept and destroy ballistic missiles launched against the US and its friends and allies. As the terrorist attacks of September, 11 2001 made clear, the US and its allies face unprecedented threats in a world that’s changed greatly since the cold war. The US has developed new strategies for making its homeland more secure and for combatting weapons of mass destruction. And, as Mr. Bush stressed, the US will take every measure to protect its citizens against, what is perhaps, the greatest danger of all – the catastrophic harm that may result from hostile states or terrorist groups armed with weapons of mass destruction, and the means to deliver them. As part of its new strategy, the US has withdrawn from the 1972 Anti–Ballistic Missile Treaty and moved beyond the doctrine of Cold War Deterrence. The US has recognized the importance of missile defenses in deterring those who may contemplate ballistic missile attacks. At the same time, said President Bush, the US has established a positive relationship with Russia – that includes partnership in counter-terrorism and in other key areas of mutual concern. The US plans to begin operating its initial missile defenses in 2004 and 2005. The system will include interceptor missile based on the ground and at sea, and missiles–sensors based on land, at sea, and in space. The US will develop and deploy missile defenses capable of protecting not only the US and its forces but also its friends and allies. (VOA January, 2003) News 70 The US as announced that it’s to host a high–level meeting in Washington next week to discuss the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear programme. North Korea has caused international alarm by preparing to restart its Yongbyon’s nuclear complex, which can produce weapons–grade plutonium. J.L. reports from Washington. The US government is embarking on an intense new round of diplomacy to try to resolve this crisis. It’s designed to put new pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear programmes and to reassure America’s allies in East Asia. A senior State Department official J.K will meet his counterparts from Japan and South Korea in Washington before travelling out to the region himself. The United States wants its partners there to join in isolating North Korea. But the new South Korean government, in particular, is worried that Washington is being too heavy–handed. Speaking at his ranch in Texas, President Bush denied there was a split over the issue. Mr. Bush suggested America’s allies in East Asia might be secretly putting pressure on the North Koreans. Meanwhile South Korea has announced that President–elect Roh Moo-hyun is preparing his own plan to resolve the dispute, which will call for both Pyongyang and Washington to make concessions. (BBC January, 2003) News 71 France is sending its Foreign Minister to Ivory Coast later today to try to end the factional fighting that has split the country apart since September. In an unexpected visit Dominique de Villepin is likely to press the rebel factions and the government to come to Paris for new peace talks. Mr. de Villepin said France wanted the international community to help to stop a dangerous spiral of conflict. (BBC January, 2003) News 72 Israeli guards have clashed with Palestinian prisoners during a protest at an Israeli–run detention camp near Ramallah in the West Bank. About 700 Palestinians are detained at the camp, most of them in connection with violence in the uprising against Israeli occupation. A Palestinian human rights group said the prisoners had earlier declared a hunger strike in protest of alleged beatings by the guards. (BBC January, 2003) News 73 A report in a British medical journal has accused drug companies of developing the idea ‘the new medical condition’ in order to sell drugs to treat it. The article says the pharmaceutical industry has led efforts to promote the syndrome of female sexual disfunction whose nearest male equivalent can be treated by the drug Viagra. Here is M.K., our science staff. The article in a British medical journal by a journalist R.M. says many of the researchers who have published papers on female sexual disfunction have financial links with the pharmaceutical industry. He adds that if sexual difficulties are characterised as a disfunction, doctors will be encouraged to prescribe drugs, when, in fact, they should be looking at other aspects of the woman’s life, such as stress, tiredness or threatening behaviour from their partners. The article concludes by urging an investigation into the way drug companies define and promote new diseases and disorders. (BBC January, 2003) News 74 On his first day in office the new Brazilian Finance Minister Antonio Palocci has reassured the financial markets that he will not introduce radical changes to the country’s economic policies. Speaking a day after Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was sworn in as Brazil’s first left–wing president for 40 years, Mr. Palocci said his government would pursue a policy of active world–free distribution but not at the expense of economic stability. He promised to increase the pace of economic reform focussing on pensions, the biggest single drain on the budget. (BBC January, 2003) News 75 British police are questioning 6 Middle Eastern men after discovering ricin, an extremely lethal toxin with no antidote, in a north London apartment. Authorities said Tuesday all the men of North African origin were arrested during raids on Sunday carried out with provisions and under the country’s Terrorism Act. British officials say doctors and hospitals across the country have been alerted to the symptoms of ricin poisoning. Ricin as a terror weapon has been linked to Al–Qaueda and Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. (VOA January, 2003) News 76 Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo says he’ll grant amnesty to rebels but will not agree to their demand for earlier elections. Mr. Gbagbo made his comments on French radio ahead of French-brokered peace talks Wednesday. Delegates from all of Ivory Coast war-in-factions are expected to converge on a sports center in the town of M. outside Paris for these 9 days of talks. The Ivory Coast government signed a truce with western-based rebels Monday in Togo to halt fighting during the talks. (VOA January, 2003) News 77 A British-sponsored conference on finding ways to uphold the Palestinian authority is due to begin today in London despite Israel’s refusal to allow Palestinian delegates to attend. Palestinian officials say they plan to take part in the conference via telephone and video hook-up from the West Bank town of Ramallah. Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon barred the Palestinian delegation from attending the conference after two suicide bombings in Tel-Aviv January, 5, which killed 22 people. (VOA January, 2003) |